In the heart of the Golden Plaza, two figures stood amidst a surreal display of artistry. Marble statues floated in mid-air, defying gravity, while behind them loomed a massive, twisting building that seemed to bend the very fabric of reality. The air was thick with the scent of ink and the faint hum of Qi, a testament to the Flowing Brush Sect's mastery of illusion and art.

  I stared in awe at the spectacle. Gerard observed the scene with a more suppressed expression and an analytical eye, his sharp gaze dissecting the layers of illusion woven into the environment.

  "Gerard," I said, "does that patch of grass seem... strange to you?"

  Gerard nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Indeed. There are multiple illusions layered on top of each other. It’s quite impressive. The grass reacts to your imagination. You see it as natural because that’s what you expect. To me, it looks like cracked obsidian."

  Before I could respond, a figure emerged from a cascading waterfall that seemed to double as a portal. The man—or perhaps a being beyond such simple labels—stepped forward, his robes and mask flowing seamlessly into one another, a living rainbow with eight colors, including an ethereal white. He was the embodiment of artistry, his very being felt like it was a piece of art to be admired, rather than a person to interact with.

  "Thank you for the compliment," the man said, his voice melodic and inviting. He removed his mask, revealing a pale, androgynous face framed by hair that seemed to shimmer with every color of the spectrum. "I am Akiha, the Flowing Brush sect's Ambassador in Iroh, also known as the Diurnal Dreamer. How may I assist you?"

  After I finished introducing ourselves, I explained our predicament. "We’re cultivators in need of work. We were planning on visiting 3G, but we figured a sect might also have us for our services."

  Akiha’s expression shifted, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features. "Ah, so you’re here for money. A pity. I had hoped to meet kindred spirits, those who create for the sake of creation itself. But alas, not everyone can sustain themselves on passion alone."

  I quickly clarified our situation, recounting how a misfired teleportation technique had stranded us in Ansi territory, far from home and without resources. Akiha’s eyes lit up with intrigue, his artistic sensibilities clearly piqued by the tale.

  "Ah, now that is a story worth telling!" Akiha exclaimed, his voice rising with excitement. "A misfire, you say? Incompetence? Sabotage? Or perhaps... a crime of passion? Oh, the possibilities! My Dao's are stirring! I must capture this inspiration before it fades. Farewell, my friends, and good luck!"

  With that, Akiha vanished as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Henry and Gerard to exchange bemused glances.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "I think we’ve made a new friend," I said with a light chuckle.

  "Exquisite social maneuvering," Gerard replied, his tone laced with sarcasm.

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  As we made our way inside, we passed more impossible works of art. An orb containing a thousand paintings, each flickering into the next with a mere thought. Then a serpent devouring its own tail, its visage so lifelike that I initially mistook it for a real creature. And then there was the suit of armor, black and gold, adorned with a roaring lion crest. But this was no mere symbol, rather an actual lion, a Qi construct sustained by the core of a powerful beast. The lion’s aura radiated strength, a testament to its mastery of a path of the Dao.

  There was this one piece that truly caught my undivided attention, a small wooden doll. Its emotions shifted constantly, yet slowly, from joy to sorrow, from menace to tranquility. The doll itself was unremarkable, yet the intensity of the emotions it projected was staggering. It was a perfect example of the Flowing Brush Sect’s ability to infuse art with Qi, creating pieces that resonated deeply with the viewer.

  I would feel lost while looking at it. One moment i felt the innocent joy of a young girl falling in love for the first time, then the sadness of watching my village burn down. This twisted into a gleeful menace as I was the one to burn it down in the first place.

  I took a step back, breaking eye-contact with the doll. Whoa, that was something else!

  After wandering around some more, we reached the reception desk where we were greeted by a woman named Ten In. Once more, we quickly introduced ourselves.

  "Nascent Soul stage," she said, her tone tinged with disappointment. "A shame. We’re in need of cores from Dao Crystal realm beasts. But lesser cores are always useful for our apprentices. We’ll pay you in contribution points, which can be exchanged for various sect benefits, such as public or private classes, techniques, and the like. Public classes are taught by experienced disciples, while private lessons will be conducted by an elder."

  I exchanged a quick glance with Gerard. Contribution points weren’t exactly the currency we were hoping for, but it was a start.

  "And where would we find these lesser cores?" Gerard asked.

  Ten In pointed to a mountain range on their map. "There are a lot of spirit beasts in these mountains. An Earth Drake was recently spotted there. Be warned, it’s way beyond your current strength. Still, there’s a bounty on its head, so it might already be dead by the time you arrive."

  With a simple nod of thanks, we left.

  "So," I said as we exited the embassy/museum, "we hunt spirit beasts, collect their cores, earn contribution points, and then use those points to gain some connections inside the sect. Sound about right?"

  "Precisely," Gerard replied. "And if we’re clever, we might even turn some of those points into treasures we can sell for actual money. Of course, the connections are also invaluable for information and political power."

  "Good note, Gerard. An alternative would be to grab missions from both the sect and G3, and complete them at the same time. G3 would award us with money, the sect with contribution."

  "Brilliant, sir. This way we'll be able to drain not just the sects, but the merchant associations as well!"

  ...Drain? I think as I raise an eyebrow at him. He looks back innocently.

  Different intentions aside. We agreed upon the double-quest plan and called it a night.